Improvement in gates



S- SPOOR.

Gate

No. 60,435. I Patnted Dec. n, 2866 WIT/155355.

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IMPROVEMENT IN GATES.

STEPHEN SPOOR, OF PHELPS, NEW YORK.

Letters Patent No. 60,435, dated December 11, 1866; ante'dated November 21, 1866.

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TO ALL WHOM IT li/IAY CONCERN: 7

Be it known that I, STEPHEN Snoonpof Phelps, in the county of Ontario, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful improvement in Combined Friction Rollers and Supports for Gatesi. and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification. x

t Figure 1 is an elevation of a gate provided with my improvement. I

Figure 2 a front elevation of the improved friction roller and support, with the upper rail of the gate resting thereon.

Figure 3, a similar view, but at right angles to fig. 2.

Figure 4, a sectional, perspective view of one-half of the support for the roller.

Figure 5, perspective view of the roller detached. i I

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

My improvement is intended more particularly for use with that class of gates which, slide half way back, and then swing around. The invention consists in' the construction and arrangement of the roller support, whereby the friction is lessened, the joint is prevented from wetting and freezing in, the roller is readily inserted. or removed, and bearings are formed on opposite sides to rest against the rail and retain it in place, while the device itself is more readily turned, andwithout the bending or grating of the rail:

As represented in the drawings, A is a combined slide and swing gate constructed after the plan of that on which I have a patent now allowed, where the gate can be elevated for the passage of swine, &c. The rear end of this gate rests on a friction roller B and its support" or seat C, which is of peculiar construction. The

roller, in itself, is of ordinary form, being simply a plain wheel, without rim or flange, and having two journals a a. The support or seat in which it rests has a base socket b resting and turning on a vertical bearing 0, having a pin d extending down into the sustaining block 1); and if desired, a flangef secured with the pin to the block, to give a firmer support. From the socket risetwo cheeks, g g, at suitable distances apart to receive the roller, whose journals rest in suitable sockets -h It. From the cheeks rise two standards 2' i, which are set back, as shown, so as to form spaces Z l, to allow the roller to be inserted or removed; and these standards arr. surmounted by fiat bearings k k, of some length, which receive the rail m of the gate between them, and bear against its sides. By this construction and arrangeinentIdesig'n to obviate the defectshhat exist in other devices for a similar purpose. In all such devices with which I am acquainted, the bottom of the support or guide G is mbde of considerable extent, to produce a broad bearing, and rests and turns directly on top of the wooden block D. The consequence is that much friction is produccd,-and the iron must soon wear down into the block, and grow more and more difiicult to operate. The base of the support or guide is also unprotected and exposed to the weather, and in winter, water settles around it and freezes; and this trouble increases as the iron wears deeper into the wood, so as to form a depression for the water to settle in. I obviate'these diiiiculties by the fitting of the socket I) over the bearing 0. I thus dispense with the broad bearing base of the support, and also avoid its contact with the wooden block. There is but small-frictional surface, and in compact form. All the wear that is produced comes upon the contact surface of the socket and bearing 6 c, and

not upon the wooden block D. The socket excludes water, and there can be no freezing, for the reason that water cannot gn-ther. Therefore the turning movement of the support 0 will be always free and unimpeded.

- The bearings is resting against the sides of the rail always keep the latter in place upon thefriction wheel without the employment of rims or flanges on the same, and at the same time insure the ready and easy turning of the support when the gate is swung around; These bearings, in connection with the socket joint above described, act conjointly to produce avery important eii'ect in preventing wear uponl the rail in running through, when turned to one side'. 7 In the ordinary devites now in use the friction of the support C upon the wooden block 1) is so great (especially if frozen in) that hvhen the gate is swung to one side, and the rail is attempted to be drawn through longitudinally, it stands angularly between the flanges or rims that hold it in place, and binds and wcars in such a manner as soon to destroy its edge, and prevent it running easily. In my arrangement it will be seen, in'the first place, that the friction at the joints 6 c is very small; and in the second place,

that tho cntcndcd bearings [a have such a leverage on the rail that the supportwill turn accurately with the rail, and there can be no difiiculty from this source. The formation of the spaces lwithin the standard 2', not only frees the top of the friction wheel so that ,the mil will run' over it properly, but they also insure the ready insertion and removal of the roller at any time, and from either side which is a matter of necessity in the casting of the support. The standards 6, by closing the sockets 72, without, and resting against the ends of the journals-a, hold the roller steadily in position and prevent its wabbling.

What I claim as my invention, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, isv I claim the combination wtth avertically revolving roller supporting the upper rail, of a roller support 0 having a horizontal joint, and composed of guards k is, recessed standards it, and bearings h 7:, socket 6 and conical-bearing pin 1:, constructed and arranged substantially as shown and described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

STEPHEN SPOOR.

Witnesses LYSANDER RED'FIELD,

H. H. FRAZER. 

